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2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s

158 Ranked Colleges
6,589 Degrees Awarded
$15,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor's

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2019-2020, 19,742 people earned their degree in general social sciences, making the major the 51st most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, general social sciences graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $31,665 and had an average of $22,423 in loans still to pay off.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 6,589 general social sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s” ranking, we looked at 158 colleges that offer a degree in general social sciences. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great general social sciences programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the general social sciences program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The social sciences school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s”.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s

The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree social sciences students.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Social Sciences

#1

Thomas Edison State University

Trenton, New Jersey

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Thomas Edison State University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s. Thomas Edison State University is located in Trenton, New Jersey and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 151 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree social sciences students list, TESU has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking.

Full TESU General Social Sciences Report

#2

Colorado State University - Global Campus

Greenwood Village, Colorado
Top 20% in overall quality

Out of the 158 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Colorado State University - Global Campus landed the #2 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Greenwood Village, Colorado, and it awarded 38 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Colorado State University - Global Campus also claimed a top spot on our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Colorado State University - Global Campus General Social Sciences Report

#3

Bellevue University

Bellevue, Nebraska

Out of the 158 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Bellevue University landed the #3 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Bellevue, Nebraska, and it awarded 104 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Bellevue University is $15,616 for Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students.

Full Bellevue University General Social Sciences Report

#4

The Graduate Center, CUNY

New York, New York
#10 in overall quality

Out of the 158 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, The Graduate Center, CUNY landed the #4 spot on the list. The Graduate Center is a medium-sized public school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 16 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The Graduate Center did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about General Social Sciences at The Graduate Center, CUNY

#5

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

River Falls, Wisconsin

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - River Falls. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s. University of Wisconsin - River Falls is a medium-sized school located in River Falls, Wisconsin that handed out 10 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - River Falls excels when it comes to social sciences quality. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend UW - River Falls is $13,748 for bachelor’s degree social sciences students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Wisconsin - River Falls General Social Sciences Report

#6

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, North Dakota

With a ranking of #6, University of North Dakota did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s list. UND is a fairly large school located in Grand Forks, North Dakota that handed out 19 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $15,738 for Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students per year to attend UND.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Social Sciences at University of North Dakota

#7

Brandman University

Irvine, California

Brandman University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #7. Brandman University is a fairly large school located in Irvine, California that handed out 16 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Brandman did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Brandman is $21,604 for Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students.

Read more about General Social Sciences at Brandman

#8

University of Wisconsin - Stout

Menomonie, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Stout landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Menomonie, Wisconsin, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Stout is $15,839 for Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Social Sciences at UW - Stout

#9

University of Wisconsin - Platteville

Platteville, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Platteville came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of Wisconsin - Platteville is located in Platteville, Wisconsin and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 8 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $15,718 for bachelor’s degree social sciences students per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Platteville.

Read more about General Social Sciences at University of Wisconsin - Platteville

University of Maryland Global Campus landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. UMGC is a large public school situated in Adelphi, Maryland. It awarded 166 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree social sciences students list, UMGC has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UMGC is $14,288 for Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students.

Read more about General Social Sciences at University of Maryland Global Campus

#11

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater

Whitewater, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Whitewater, Wisconsin is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social sciences degrees to 5 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $15,249 for bachelor’s degree social sciences students per year to attend UW - Whitewater.

Read full report on General Social Sciences at UW - Whitewater

#12

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Tallahassee, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social sciences degrees to 292 students in 2019-2020.

Florida State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Florida State University is $9,789 for Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Social Sciences at Florida State University

University of Minnesota - Morris did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #13. UMN Morris is a small school located in Morris, Minnesota that handed out 7 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Morris is $11,412 for Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Minnesota - Morris General Social Sciences Report

#14

Southern New Hampshire University

Manchester, New Hampshire

Southern New Hampshire University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #14. Southern New Hampshire University is located in Manchester, New Hampshire and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 109 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend SNHU is $41,095 for bachelor’s degree social sciences students.

Full Southern New Hampshire University General Social Sciences Report

#15

University of Wyoming

Laramie, Wyoming

University of Wyoming came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Laramie, Wyoming, this fairly large public school awarded 16 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend UW is $12,159 for bachelor’s degree social sciences students.

The low student loan default rate of 4.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full UW General Social Sciences Report

#16

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan

With a ranking of #16, Grand Valley State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Allendale, Michigan, this large public school handed out 49 degrees to qualified bachelors’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $17,646 for Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students per year to attend Grand Valley State University.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Social Sciences at GVSU

University of South Florida - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #17. Located in Tampa, Florida, this large public school handed out 153 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $8,355 for Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students per year to attend USF Tampa.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on General Social Sciences at University of South Florida - Main Campus

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. This large school is located in Edinburg, Texas, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is $4,514 for bachelor’s degree social sciences students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Social Sciences at UT Rio Grande Valley

#19

Metropolitan State University

Saint Paul, Minnesota

With a ranking of #19, Metropolitan State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Saint Paul, Minnesota is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social sciences degrees to 23 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $15,225 for Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students per year to attend Metropolitan State University.

Read full report on General Social Sciences at Metro State

#20

Black Hills State University

Spearfish, South Dakota

Black Hills State University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. BHSU is a public institution located in Spearfish, South Dakota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Black Hills State University is $16,641 for Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students.

Read full report on General Social Sciences at BHSU

Minnesota State University - Mankato ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Minnesota State Mankato is a public institution located in Mankato, Minnesota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Minnesota State University - Mankato is $16,221 for bachelor’s degree social sciences students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Minnesota State Mankato General Social Sciences Report

#22

Central College

Pella, Iowa

Central College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. This small school is located in Pella, Iowa, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Central College is $23,269 for bachelor’s degree social sciences students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Social Sciences at Central

University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez is a fairly large school located in Mayaguez, that handed out 26 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $10,766 for bachelor’s degree social sciences students per year to attend University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about General Social Sciences at University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

With a ranking of #24, California State University - Monterey Bay did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s list. This medium-sized school is located in Seaside, California, and it awarded 84 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $12,212 for bachelor’s degree social sciences students per year to attend CSUMB.

The student loan default rate at the school is 5.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Social Sciences at California State University - Monterey Bay

#25

Mercy College

Dobbs Ferry, New York

With a ranking of #25, Mercy College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Mercy is a private not-for-profit institution located in Dobbs Ferry, New York. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 190 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Mercy is $14,281 for Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students.

Read more about General Social Sciences at Mercy College

Notes and References

References

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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